2 Chronicles 31

The Destruction of Idols

1When allH3605 thisH2063 had endedH3615, the IsraelitesH3605H3478 in attendanceH4672 went outH3318 to the citiesH5892 of JudahH3063 and broke upH7665 the sacred pillarsH4676, chopped downH1438 the Asherah polesH842, and tore downH5422 the high placesH1116 and altarsH4196 throughoutH3605 JudahH3063 and BenjaminH1144, as well as in EphraimH669 and ManassehH4519, untilH5704 they had utterly destroyed them allH3615. Then allH3605 the IsraelitesH1121H3478 returnedH7725 to their citiesH5892, eachH376 to his own propertyH272.

2HezekiahH2396 reestablishedH5975 the divisionsH4256 of the priestsH3548 and LevitesH3881H5921—each of themH376 according toH6310 their dutiesH5656 as priestsH3548 or LevitesH3881—for the burnt offeringsH5930 and peace offeringsH8002, for ministryH8334, for giving thanksH3034, and for singing praisesH1984 at the gatesH8179 of the LORD’sH3068 dwellingH4264.

Contributions for Worship

3The kingH4428 contributedH4521 fromH4480 his own possessionsH7399 for the regular morningH1242 and eveningH6153H5930 burnt offeringsH5930 and for the burnt offeringsH5930 on the SabbathsH7676, New MoonsH2320, and appointed feastsH4150, as writtenH3789 in the LawH8451 of the LORDH3068. 4Moreover, he commandedH559 the peopleH5971 livingH3427 in JerusalemH3389 to makeH5414 a contributionH4521 for the priestsH3548 and LevitesH3881 so thatH4616 they could devote themselvesH2388 to the LawH8451 of the LORDH3068.

5As soon as the orderH1697 went outH6555, the IsraelitesH1121H3478 generously providedH7235 the firstfruitsH7225 of the grainH1715, new wineH8492, oilH3323, and honeyH1706, and of allH3605 the produceH8393 of the fieldH7704, and they brought inH935 an abundanceH7230—a titheH4643 of everythingH3605. 6And the IsraelitesH1121H3478 and JudahitesH3063 who livedH3427 in the citiesH5892 of JudahH3063 alsoH1571 broughtH935 a titheH4643 of their herdsH1241 and flocksH6629 and a titheH4643 of the holy thingsH6944 consecratedH6942 to the LORDH3068 their GodH430, and they laid themH5414 in large heapsH6194.

7In the thirdH7992 monthH2320 they beganH2490 building upH3245 the heapsH6194, and they finishedH3615 in the seventhH7637 monthH2320. 8When HezekiahH2396 and his officialsH8269 cameH935 and viewedH7200 the heapsH6194, they blessedH1288 the LORDH3068 and His peopleH5971 IsraelH3478.

9Then HezekiahH2396 questionedH1875 the priestsH3548 and LevitesH3881H5921 aboutH5921 the heapsH6194, 10and AzariahH5838, the chiefH7218 priestH3548 of the householdH1004 of ZadokH6659H559, answeredH559 himH413, “Since the people beganH2490 to bringH935 their contributionsH8641 into the houseH1004 of the LORDH3068, we have had enoughH7646 to eatH398, and there is plentyH7230 left overH3498H5704, becauseH3588 the LORDH3068 has blessedH1288 His peopleH5971; thisH2088 great abundanceH1995 is what is left overH3498.”

Hezekiah Organizes the Priests

11Then HezekiahH2396 commanded themH559 to prepareH3559 storeroomsH3957 in the houseH1004 of the LORDH3068, and they did soH3559. 12And they faithfully brought inH935 the contributionsH8641, tithesH4643, and dedicated giftsH6944. ConaniahH3562 the LeviteH3881 was the officerH5057 in charge of themH5921, and his brotherH251 ShimeiH8096 was secondH4932. 13JehielH3171, AzaziahH5812, NahathH5184, AsahelH6214, JerimothH3406, JozabadH3107, ElielH447, IsmachiahH3253, MahathH4287, and BenaiahH1141 were overseersH6496 under the authorityH3027 of ConaniahH3562 and his brotherH251 ShimeiH8096, by appointmentH4662 of KingH4428 HezekiahH2396 and of AzariahH5838 the chief officialH5057 of the houseH1004 of GodH430.

14KoreH6981 sonH1121 of ImnahH3232 the LeviteH3881, the keeperH7778 of the East GateH4217, was in chargeH5921 of the freewill offeringsH5071 given to GodH430, distributingH5414 the contributionsH8641 to the LORDH3068 and the consecrated giftsH6944. 15UnderH5921 his authorityH3027, EdenH5731, MiniaminH4509, JeshuaH3442, ShemaiahH8098, AmariahH568, and ShecaniahH7935 faithfullyH530 distributedH5414 portions to theirH251 fellow priests in their citiesH5892H3548, according to their divisionsH4256, oldH1419 and young alikeH6996.1

16In additionH905, they distributed portions to the malesH2145 registered by genealogyH3187 who were threeH7969 years of ageH1121H8141 or olderH4605—to allH3605 who would enterH935 the houseH1004 of the LORDH3068 for their dailyH3117 dutiesH1697 for serviceH5656 in the responsibilitiesH4931 of their divisionsH4256— 17andH853 to the priestsH3548 enrolled according toH1 their familiesH1004 in the genealogyH3187, as well as to the LevitesH3881 twentyH6242 years of ageH1121H8141 or olderH4605, according to their responsibilitiesH4931 and divisionsH4256. 18The genealogyH3187 included allH3605 the little onesH2945, wivesH802, sonsH1121, and daughtersH1323 of the wholeH3605 assemblyH6951. ForH3588 they had faithfullyH530 consecrated themselvesH6942 as holyH6944.

19As for the priestsH3548, the descendantsH1121 of AaronH175, who lived on the farmlands aroundH7704H4054 each of their citiesH5892 or in any otherH3605 cityH5892, menH582 were designatedH5344 by nameH8034 to distributeH5414 a portionH4490 to everyH3605 maleH2145 among the priestsH3548 and to everyH3605 LeviteH3881 listed by the genealogiesH3187.

20So this is whatH2063 HezekiahH2396 didH6213 throughoutH3605 JudahH3063. He didH6213 what was goodH2896 and uprightH3477 and trueH571 beforeH6440 the LORDH3068 his GodH430. 21He actedH6213 with allH3605 his heartH3824 in everyH3605 workH4639 thatH834 he beganH2490 in the serviceH5656 of the houseH1004 of GodH430, and in the lawH8451 and the commandmentsH4687, in order to seekH1875 his GodH430. And so he prosperedH6743.